Lora Wondolowski

Lora Wondolowski
Member of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office
2027
Preceded byNatalie Blais
Constituency1st Franklin District
President of the Greenfield City Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 7, 2025
Personal details
Born1969 (age 56–57)
PartyDemocratic
Children2
EducationUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Bard College (M.S.)
Occupationbiologist
environmentalist
politician

Lora Wondolowski (born in 1969) is an American biologist, environmentalist and politician affiliated with Democratic Party. In 2026, she was elected to represent the 1st Franklin District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Biography

Lora Wondolowski studied biology with a focus on ecology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Later earned a master's degree in environmental science at Bard College.

She worked at the National Audubon Society and the League of Conservation Voters in Washington, D.C. She was also the founding director of the Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters (MLEV), an environmental advocacy organization focused on the electoral process, and of its educational arm, the Environmental Voters Education Fund, both based in Boston.

Politics

Lora began closely following municipal politics, at Greenfield, in 2023, when the city's proposed budget called for a $1.5 million cut in the funding requested by the school district for fiscal year 2024. The council ultimately restored approximately $1.18 million. In December 2023, the City Council appointed her to the Precinct 8 seat, which had been vacant since Doug Mayo's resignation, to serve out the term until December 2025.

On January 7, 2025, after just over a year on the board, she was unanimously elected chair of the board, as the sole nominee, succeeding John Bottomley. As chair, she supported the resolution, passed in 2025, that declared Greenfield a sanctuary city for transgender and gender-diverse people. She also defended the board's decision to declare a municipal parking lot on Hope Street surplus and sell it to a developer for housing construction, a decision upheld by voters in a November 2025 referendum.

Representative Natalie Blais, who had represented Franklin's 1st District since 2019, resigned on January 19, 2026, to take an administrative position at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Wondolowski launched his campaign on February 23, 2026, with a platform focused on affordable housing, funding for rural schools, equitable distribution of state resources to rural areas, and climate resilience. She was elected in 2026 after receiving more than 15,000 votes, defeating Amy Lavallee of the Republican Party.

Electoral performance

Year Election District Votes Result Ref.
2026 Massachusetts House of Representatives election 1st Franklin 15 364 Elected

Personal life

Wondolowski is a single mother of two children, both of whom attend public schools in Greenfield.

References

  1. 1 2 Pfannebecker, Annette (August 16, 2026). "Letter: Lora Wondolowski checks all the boxes". Daily Hampshire Gazette. Archived from the original on August 27, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  2. ↑ Marietta, Aalianna (November 4, 2026). "Lora Wondolowski handily wins state rep. seat serving 1st Franklin District". Greenfield Recorder. Archived from the original on November 10, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  3. ↑ Marietta, Aalianna (February 24, 2026). "Greenfield City Council president running for state rep seat". Amherst Bulletin. Archived from the original on May 18, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  4. ↑ Marietta, Aalianna (February 24, 2026). "Greenfield City Council president running for state rep seat". Amherst Bulletin. Archived from the original on May 18, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Marietta, Aalianna (November 4, 2026). "Lora Wondolowski handily wins state rep. seat serving 1st Franklin District". Greenfield Recorder. Archived from the original on November 10, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  6. ↑ Little, Amanda (2006-10-10). "Governors' races along Eastern seaboard could lead to big environmental gains". Grist. Retrieved 2026-11-06.
  7. ↑ Wondolowski, Lora (December 18, 2023). "Restoring Ourselves with Wonder and Enchantment". Peace Development Fund. Archived from the original on July 17, 2025. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  8. ↑ Healy, Carrie (October 28, 2026). "Zoning, utility oversight, and funding split candidates in the 1st Franklin District House race". New England Public Media. Archived from the original on November 10, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  9. ↑ Shook, Ashley (September 1, 2026). "Lora Wondolowski leads in close election race with Corinne Coryat for vacant House seat". WWLP. Archived from the original on October 25, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 Byrne, Mary (January 7, 2024). "'I wanted to be of service': Lora Wondolowski joins Greenfield City Council as Precinct 8 rep". Greenfield Recorder. Archived from the original on February 24, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  11. ↑ Byrne, Mary (October 4, 2023). "City Councilor Doug Mayo resigns, citing frustration with Greenfield leaders". Greenfield Recorder. Archived from the original on November 10, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  12. ↑ Cammalleri, Anthony (August 1, 2025). "Wondolowski becomes Greenfield City Council president; Garrett named VP". Greenfield Recorder. Archived from the original on November 17, 2025. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  13. ↑ Cammalleri, Anthony (January 7, 2026). "Wondolowski, Garrett retain leadership posts on Greenfield City Council". Greenfield Recorder. Archived from the original on March 5, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  14. ↑ Cammalleri, Anthony (April 2, 2025). "Proposed ordinance would make Greenfield a 'sanctuary city' for trans, gender-diverse people". Greenfield Recorder. Archived from the original on November 10, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  15. ↑ Cammalleri, Anthony (March 6, 2026). "Greenfield Planning Board talks design guidelines for Hope Street development". Greenfield Recorder. Archived from the original on March 8, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  16. ↑ Marietta, Aalianna (February 24, 2026). "Greenfield City Council president running for state rep seat". Amherst Bulletin. Archived from the original on May 18, 2026. Retrieved November 6, 2026.
  17. ↑ Schofield, Madison (January 9, 2026). "Natalie Blais to resign as state rep". Greenfield Recorder. Archived from the original on January 9, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  18. ↑ Norton, Michael (January 9, 2026). "Deerfield Rep. Blais resigning to work at UMass Amherst". WWLP. Archived from the original on October 25, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Lora Wondolowski". Green Voter Guide. Archived from the original on November 10, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  20. 1 2 Paleologopoulos, James (November 3, 2026). "Vying to represent rural 1st Franklin House district, Wondolowski and Lavallee make their case". WAMC. Archived from the original on November 10, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  21. ↑ Schofield, Madison (October 26, 2026). "'We're not done yet': Wondolowski rallies supporters for final campaign push in 1st Franklin District race". Daily Hampshire Gazette. Archived from the original on October 29, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  22. 1 2 Marietta, Aalianna (November 9, 2026). "Lora Wondolowski's margin of victory in Deerfield climbs by 1,148 votes". Greenfield Recorder. Archived from the original on November 10, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
  23. ↑ Writer, Letter (October 29, 2026). "Tim Hilchey: Vote Wondolowski, get experience". Greenfield Recorder. Archived from the original on November 10, 2026. Retrieved November 10, 2026.